Matthew Modine’s Character Was Supposed to Look Like a ‘Lumberjack’ on ‘Stranger Things’

“I take all the credit for my costume,” said actor Matthew Modine, who plays Dr. Martin Brenner on Netflix’s 1980s-set “Stranger Things.”

The 57-year-old is among the nominees in the Best Ensemble in a Drama Series category of the 23rd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, airing live on TNT and TBS on Sunday at 8 p.m. ET.

The “Full Metal Jacket” star helped unveil the SAG’s Actor statue on Wednesday at Los Angeles’ The Grove shopping plaza, along with “Westworld” actress Angela Sarafyan and “Grey’s Anatomy” actor Jason George.

Speaking to FN at the event, Modine shared that he collaborated with the costume team of his “Stranger Things” series to elevate the style of his character to a strikingly different interpretation of what the creators intended.

“The way it was scripted, I was going to wear a beard, flannel shirt, jeans and boots — a lumberjack,” Modine explained. “I told them, ‘That’s not my guy. I’m going to be so clean-shaven the audience to going to smell my aftershave.’ I’m going to wear a suit like Cary Grant in ‘North by Northwest,’ white hair like Robert Shaw in [‘Battle of the Bulge’], and I wanted to wear cap-toe shoes like John Kennedy. I thought it would be much more compelling — he’s a doctor.”